2015 Calendar: Why the Korean GP was scheduled but is unlikely to take place
The 2015 calendar officially includes 21 races, with a South Korean GP "to be confirmed." However, the round in the Land of the Morning Calm will most likely be canceled.
The world of F1 did not hide its surprise this Wednesday when the calendar unveiled by the World Motor Sport Council contained 21 dates.
Indeed, the South Korean Grand Prix has returned to the Formula 1 calendar for the 2015 season. However, its date – from May 1 to 3 – is striking as it is less than a week before the next Grand Prix in Spain, from May 8 to 10.
Such scheduling thus makes the running of this race highly improbable for simple logistical reasons. Consecutive GP races within a week— with the notable exception of the Malaysian and Bahrain GPs—are often events held over a relatively short distance.
But then, why schedule such a race if the chances of it actually taking place are slim? The explanation is relatively simple. In 2014, each driver could use 5 hybrid engine blocks. However, in 2015, the regulations state that this number will be reduced to 4 if the season does not exceed 20 races. The regulations specify that drivers will be allowed to use 5 engines if the number of Grand Prix races in the championship, as initially scheduled, exceeds 20 (Article 28.4 a of the 2015 Sporting Regulations).
However, the calendar announced this Wednesday, containing 21 races and thus activating the allocation of a 5th power unit, is the confirmed « programming », even if the South Korean GP is subject to confirmation. Now that this race is on the calendar, teams are automatically guaranteed to be able to use 5 hybrid units in 2015. The cancellation of this race will not change anything.
The BBC reports that at least one engine manufacturer pushed for the limit to remain set at 5 for the next season, due to the complexity of the engines, the known reliability issues in 2014, and the need for Mercedes’ rivals to push development to try to close the gap with the new world champions.
The South Korean GP thus appears as a sham race whose main goal is to circumvent the regulations without having to modify them, along with all the risks involved with the requirement of unanimity around these modifications. Nevertheless, we will have to wait for confirmation of its cancellation or continuation to definitively close this round.
